Abingdon News No.40

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9
Abingdon Music and Drama
School House takes the Prize
The usual chart-toppers featured and classics from yesteryear,
such as Stand By Me (Cotton’s), Don’t Stop Me Now (Lower School)
and Eye of the Tiger (James’s). Adjudicator, Peter Allwood, former
Director of Music at Oundle and Christ’s Hospital Schools and former
headmaster of Litchfield Cathedral School, judged School House the
winners with the traditional South African Song, Shosholoza.
Abingdon Film Unit
It has been an exciting term for the Abingdon
Film Unit. The annual screening of new
films took place at the start of October under
the title Pretty Much Teenagers - a reference to
the fact the AFU was embarking on its thirteenth
year. ‘Thirteen’ may not be a true coming of
age, but it does mean some AFU alumni have
been out in the world for a while, and this gave
us a chance to see what the old boys (and girls)
have been up to. Alongside an excellent crop
of new films by current AFU students, we were
delighted to screen four new films by former
students. Highlights included OA Sam Johnson’s
award-winning short Billy the Kid, John Cheung
and Aim Wonghirundacha’s The Red Brick, Ben
Oliver’s Sound & Colour and an award-winning
documentary by OAs Tian Ji and Adrian Lo
called A Portrait of Sun Wah Kee.
Joint Choral Concert
The music department held its inaugural Solo Instrumental Competition this term
beginning with the Senior Section. The intermediate and junior categories follow
in the Lent and Summer terms. The senior competition was over subscribed
and had to be restricted to those who have gained grade 8 with a distinction.
Helena Rakowski, Director of Music at St Helen’s, had the unenviable task of
adjudication. Many congratulations to David Chung and Anthony Bracey who
were placed joint 3rd, James Anderson-Besant in 2nd and Leon Wu in 1st.
Senior Soloists Impress
John Bell (star of The Hobbit) tears across the
Didcot tundra on his trusty two-wheeled steed
in a scene from OA Sam Johnson’s award
winning, anti-bullying short, Billy the Kid.
John Allen stars as the boy in House of
Cardboard, the film he co-wrote with fellow
third years Louis Edward and Charlie Clarke.
This year’s House
Singing Competition
saw ten excellent
performances
incorporating
countermelodies,
harmonies, percussion,
whistling and a
Zulu narration.
Chilingirian Quartet at Abingdon
Wednesday 10 February, 7pm
BEETHOVEN Quartet in G major, Op 18 No 3
BARTOK Quartet No 2, Op 17
DVORAK Quartet in G major, Op 106
Further information and book online at
Abingdon and St Helen’s
sing Rossini’s
Petite Messes Solennelle